Hon. Forson Appiah, Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive giving the opening remarks.
ANESVAD-funded 'WASH services in skin-NTDs endemic areas' project makes impressive progress
Published on: 12/03/2024
On February 16, 2024, in Dunkwa-On-Offin in the central region of Ghana, the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Health Department of Ghana Health Service, together with IRC Ghana shared impressive progress updates on the implementation of the 'WASH services in skin-NTDs endemic areas' project in the municipality.
The multi-stakeholder engagement, convened by the Municipal Assembly in collaboration with the Municipal Health Department and IRC, was intended to provide updates on the WASH services in skin-NTDs endemic areas project. The project was launched in March 2023 and seeks to address WASH and NTDs in an integrated manner, using an inclusive selection criterion that prioritizes endemic communities for interventions.
In his opening remarks, the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Forson Appiah said,
"We are privileged to have the WASH services in skin-NTDs endemic areas project, which is implementing aspects of the WASH-NTDs masterplan. We are indeed very grateful for the support of valued partners and call on others to come on board to enable full scale implementation of the masterplan to improve the health and quality of life of our people."
The chief executive acknowledged that Upper Denkyira East was one of the few municipalities in Ghana that is privileged to have WASH-NTDs masterplan, and as local system leaders they have the responsibility to lead the implementation with the continuous support of all partners. He outlined the project intervention areas and called on all participants to support the process and provide the needed feedback to inform the next phase of implementation.
Presenting the project overview, IRC Ghana programme manager, Veronica Ayi-Bonte stated that the project was implementing aspects of the WASH and NTDs master plan in three healthcare facilities and five communities - Gyampokrom, Twifo Kyebi, Antwikrom, Asma camp and Yirepe. She said,
"This project is prioritizing healthcare facilities and communities with NTDs to receive WASH facilities; and we are collaborating with the health department to strengthen NTD surveillance; and working with the assembly and health department to coordinate and monitor interventions in a more integrated manner for WASH and NTDs; and documenting lessons, learning and processes along the way, which will highlight successful pathways which can be modelled and scaled."
Progress updates
The implementing partners took turns to provide updates.
Under work package one updates were provided on WASH infrastructure development and management in healthcare facilities and communities in skin NTD endemic areas. Inception activities were duly carried out and community baseline information collected. Furthermore, contracting services were procured and construction of water and sanitation facilities started and at various stages of completion; capacity support for HCF professionals was provided and WASH IPC committees established and trained. Moreover, thirty-six WSMT committee members were trained in each of the five communities to operate, maintain and manage water facilities to ensure sustainability and promote health.
On the second work package reported on strengthening NTD surveillance in the municipality - capacity building of health staff in case detection and treatment. Frontline health workers, community health volunteers have been trained on aspects of early case identification and response; increased awareness of WASH and NTDs in HCFs, communities and schools; conducted health screening in collaboration with GES; and carried out video sensitization and screening in collaboration with environmental health unit.
Updates on work package three focused on strengthen plan preparation, implementation, and coordination of WASH and Skin-NTD interventions. The team established quarterly technical committee meetings to track and measure progress of the project; ensured continuous coordination of activities and reporting across various partners to ensure that the WASH and NTD interventions are implemented in an integrated manner. Finally, work package four on enhancing knowledge management and learning, the project inception and launch as start-up to the masterplan implementation was documented and information shared with stakeholders at all levels.
Reflection on updates
In a facilitated discussion session with the participants, representatives from the five target communities confirmed that the project updates shared was the true reflection of the progress of implementation in their respective communities. They expressed appreciation for the support and enquired when the drilled boreholes will be mechanized for use, as they could not wait to celebrate the flow of water in their communities. The municipal assembly assured the community representatives that the drilled boreholes will be mechanized in the coming months and duly open for use.
One community health volunteer who benefited from the NTDs early case identification and reporting training, reported that he has since been able to observe and document in pictures suspected cases of NTDs in the target communities and submitted it to the health department for verification and recommendation for onward action.
The municipal coordinating director who chaired the event thanked the project partners for the updates and urged on all within the municipality to support the final phase of implementation. He called for more support from the funding partners, and other partners to join in the implementation the masterplan to improve WASH access and the overall health and wellbeing of the people of the municipality.
The multi-stakeholder engagement attracted over fifty (50) participants drawn from the municipal Assembly, municipal health department, municipal education directorate, government agencies and departments, civil society, traditional authorities, faith-based organisations, people living with disability, para-military institutions, members from selected NTD communities and the media among others.
